#Ockham's

[mediciunicorn]

Nominalism, AI, and Neurons

Ockham's concept of nominalism is so fascinating because it is at least superficially similar to the way AI understands the world.  AI does not "know" about abstract principles, it does not have a way of categorizing the existence of universals except as manifestations of particulars. Universals, which are considered to be independent concepts by humans, are encoded as particular functions in AI. In reality, they are glorified organizational categories. To computers, universals are simply files that certain particulars fall under. If we draw a comparison between the way neural network AI categorizes information and the way people know things, one can claim that nominalism may be the better form of epistemology. Neural networks were developed in the 1950s as simple approximations of how human neurons work, and modern AI is an exponentially scaled and refined version of these simple models. If human neurons abstract universals as specific particulars, then from where comes the human ability to synthesize idea that apply even when training does not apply? Human reason shares many characteristics to nominalism, and could benefit from analyzing the world nominally, but in the end it is nominalist. From the depths of the mind bubbles ideas that are not merely labels for things, but which correspond to reality in am meaningful way. 

[viric-dreams]

Perhaps it was hubristic to spend that much time in parabola and assume that nothing would come of it. You'd escaped once. And your profession as a silverer had granted you easy access in and out ever since. You never seemed to give much thought to what that might mean for your reflection. And here is usually the point where some arrogant Londoner impatiently corrects you, insisting that you're the reflection. As if these things aren't relative.

Your reflection has no thoughts left to give, but the serpents that puppet its body seem to have been busy. Foolish to believe a Fingerking when they say you're below their interest. It's clear now that they've been watching, waiting for the right moment to make their escape. There's only room for one on the far side of the mirror, after all. You may have beaten them through this time, but they're waiting and they're patient. It's become too risky to cross over again. You seem to be stuck on this side of the mirror for now. At least until you can figure out a plan.

You hope your plants are doing well under the cosmogone sun. They'll be on their own for a while.

[that-giorgione]

Inspired by this post from our dearest @viric-dreams

[letters-of-fire]

Politely requesting "caught" for Ockham (unless you have other inspiration, in which case go nuts) <3

"...Close the door behind you, darling."

[capn-twitchery]

@viric-dreams said ockham thought twitch was with grace way before anything happened

twitch would be So offended heshethey thought they would ever have anything with a guy that lame

[gmalaart]

a study in recovery (nsfw sketches below)

aka, things HAPPENED after Shaw was saved from Parabola

[letheology]

Two of Them

[octaviasdread]

It’s always ‘Lord Byron this’ or ‘Lord Byron that’ and never Byron’s oldest grandson who:

- got shipped off to Australia & the Navy by his parents at age 13 to control his behaviour

- sailed with the imprisoned William Smith O’Brien, an Irish rebel leader born into the aristocracy, and three other independence fighters

- had letters to his siblings intercepted to prevent his wild tales being a bad influence

- age 14 plotted to divert water from gardens at the Admiralty’s House to the less privileged under the cover of a masquerade ball

- returned home at 16 with tattooed hands and a preference for working-class friends

- took other kids sailing on the lake in a ship he rigged from a washtub

- ran away to avoid being promoted to a gentleman’s position in the Navy

- disinherited as the Lovelace/Byron/Wentworth heir and signed up to be a shipyard worker in London’s East End

- moved to the infamous Isle of Dogs with a friend and tried saving money for both a boat and pet BEAR CUB

- wanted to marry the divorced daughter of his landlord (she rejected him)

- accepted the Wentworth barony after his grandmother’s death but never used his title

- he and his siblings threatened they would not go to their beloved grandmother’s funeral if their father attended against her wishes

- died age 26 after collapsing while sailing

[wurmh0le-aol]

all currently available clips from the “frankenstein roast” with brooks brown and zack heckler (via u/popcorndemonica on reddit) + a snippet from no easy answers (brooks’ book) about the filming of the roast.

[zeebreezin]

Artfight revenge against @viric-dreams — because she wasn’t lying, that Viric can dream.

[chaotic-history]

Terra Ignota characters as headlines

Donatien:

Tully Mardi:

Dominic:

Lorelai:

Sniper:

Ganymède:

Ockham:

Mycroft:

Apollo Mojave:

Thisbe:

[viric-dreams]

Thinking about her (the Wellspring).

[hurdygurdywizard]

After several months of stumbling around Fallen London, I finally figured out who my character is and threw together a reference.

[quotelr]

With all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one.

William of Ockham

[philosophybitmaps]

[gmalaart]

21 to celebrate the newfound acquaintance between the good doctor and Ockham? (who's 5'7" probably)

A kiss to remember.